Azalea plant named &#39;ROBLEX&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct Azalea cultivar named ‘ROBLEX’ is disclosed, characterized by distinctive white flowers with occasional pink linear blotches. Plants bloom Spring, Summer and Fall. The new cultivar is a Azalea, suitable for ornamental garden purposes.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES

Azalea hybrid

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘ROBLEX’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new cultivar is a product of chance discovery by the inventor. This new variety, hereinafter referred to as ‘ROBLEX’, was discovered as a branch sport by Flint Jerome Johnson, Feb. 7, 2002, in Loxley, Ala., at a commercial nursery. The parent variety producing this naturally occurring mutation is Azalea ‘Conlep’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,133.

After identifying the new variety as a potentially interesting selection, the inventor first organized propagation of ‘ROBLEX’ by vegetative cuttings on Jun. 14, 2003 at the same commercial nursery in Loxley, Ala. The inventor continued controlled testing and propagation, assessing stability of the unique characteristics of this variety. Multiple generations have been reproduced and have shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘ROBLEX’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, day length, and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype. The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘ROBLEX’ These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘ROBLEX’ as a new and distinct Azalea cultivar:

1. Unique spring, summer, and fall blooming.

2. Clear white flowers with occasional red-purple linear blotches.

3. Easily propagated with semi-hardwood cuttings in late spring through the summer.

4. Good specimen plant.

5. Excellent performance in planters.

6. Very good foundation plant.

7. Does well as an understory plant in a woodland garden.

8. Hardy to Zone 7.

9. Attracts butterflies.

10. Moderately compact growth

11. Uniform, globular plant shape

COMPARISON TO PARENT VARIETY

‘ROBLEX’ is similar in most horticultural characteristics to the parent variety Azalea hybrid ‘Conlep’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,133. Plants of the new cultivar ‘ROBLEX’ however, produce flowers that are white in coloration, compared to the bi-color pink flowers of the parent variety. Additionally, the mature plant height and spread of the new variety is less than that of the parent variety. Plant habit is overall more compact in the new variety, compared to the parent.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

‘ROBLEX’ can be compared to the commercial variety Azalea hybrid ‘ROBLEV’ filed concurrently with this application. Plants of the new cultivar ‘ROBLEX’ are similar to plants of ‘ROBLEV’ in most horticultural characteristics, however, plants of the new cultivar ‘ROBLEX’ produce flowers with a characteristic occasional pink linear blotch whereas as flowers of ‘ROBLEV’ are solid white. Additionally, foliage of ‘ROBLEX’ is larger and plants of ‘ROBLEX’ are somewhat less compact and larger than plants of ‘ROBLEV’.

‘ROBLEX’ can be compared to the commercial variety Azalea hybrid ‘ROBLEG’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,227. Plants of the new cultivar ‘ROBLEX’ are similar to plants of ‘ROBLEG’ in most horticultural characteristics, however, plants of the new cultivar ‘ROBLEX’ produce flowers that are white with a characteristic occasional pink linear blotch, whereas flowers of ‘ROBLEG’ are white with a Yellow-Green dotting. Additionally, plants of ‘ROBLEX’ are somewhat more compact than plants of ‘ROBLEG’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates in full color a typical plant of ‘ROBLEX’ grown outdoors in Alabama. The plant is approximately 2 years old, and is shown in a three gallon container. FIG. 2 shows a close up of typical flowers of the new variety. The photographs were taken using conventional techniques and although colors may appear different from actual colors due to light reflectance it is as accurate as possible by conventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart 2001 except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe ‘ROBLEX’ plants grown outdoors in Loxley, Ala. Plants are approximately 3 years old, in a 3 gallon nursery container. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plant types.

-   Botanical classification: Rhododendron hybrid ‘ROBLEX’ -   Propagation: Typically by semi-hardwood cuttings in Spring and     Summer.     -   -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous young roots, well branched.             Colored near RHS Grey-Brown 199A. -   Plant:     -   -   Growth habit.—Compact, globular shrub.         -   Height.—Approximately 56 cm to top of foliar and flowering             plane.         -   Plant spread.—Approximately 61 cm.         -   Branching characteristics.—Well branched, approximately 10             primary branches from center of plant, angled approximately             75° from center of plant. Each primary branches has 4 to 10             lateral branches.         -   Primary branches.—.         -   Length of primary branches.—Approximately 20 to 32 cm.         -   Diameter of primary branches.—Approximately 0.7 cm.         -   Primary branch strength.—Very strong, difficult to break.         -   Primary branch color.—Near RHS Yellow-Green N145A, with age,             covered with a thin bark like layer colored near Grey-Brown             199D.         -   Primary branch texture.—Young growth hirsute, hairs,             approximately 0.15 cm long, colored near Yellow-Green 145D.             Older growth scaly, hirsute. Hairs colored near White 155D.         -   Lateral branches.—.         -   Number of lateral branches.—Approximately 4 to 10 per             primary branch.         -   Length of lateral branches.—Average 16 cm.         -   Diameter of lateral branches.—Average 0.5 cm.         -   Lateral branch strength.—Very strong, flexible.         -   Lateral branch color.—Near RHS Yellow-Green N144A.         -   Lateral branch texture.—Hirsute.         -   Internode length.—Range between 0.8 to 4.0 cm.         -   Age of plant described.—Approximately 2 years. -   Foliage:     -   -   Leaf.—Type: Simple Arrangement: Alternate Average Length:             Approximately 7.0 cm. Average Width: Approximately 2.8 cm.             Shape of blade: Elliptic Apex: Acute. Base: Broad attenuate.             Attachment: Stalked Margin: Entire. Texture of top surface:             Highly pubescent. Hairs appressed. Texture of bottom             surface: Pubescent. More hairs present along main vein and             margin. Foliage scent: None. Color: Young foliage upper             side: Near RHS Green 137A Young foliage under side: Near RHS             Yellow-Green 144A Mature foliage upper side: Near RHS Green             137A, but darker. Mature foliage under side: Near RHS Green             138A. Venation: Type: Pinnate. Venation color upper side:             Near RHS Yellow-Green 153D Venation color under side: Near             RHS Yellow-Green 151A. Petiole: Length: About 1.4 cm.             Diameter: About 0.35 cm Color: Near RHS Yellow-Green N144C,             upper and lower surfaces. -   Flower:     -   -   Bloom period.—Plants begin flowering in the Spring, and             continue to produce flowers throughout Summer and Fall.         -   Flower.—.         -   Arrangement.—Axillary clusters of perfect, open funnel             shaped individual flowers. Typically 4 to 10 flowers per             cluster.         -   Inflorescence.—Height: Average 11.0 cm. Diameter: Average             9.5 cm.         -   Peduncle.—Length: Average 1.2 cm. Diameter: 0.3 cm. Color:             Near RHS Yellow-Green 150D. Texture: Densely pubescent.             Aspect: Straight to very slightly curved. Angle of             attachment, approximately 45° angle from stem.         -   Flowers.—Length: Average 6.0 cm. Diameter: Average 8.0 cm.             Facing direction: Outwardly and upwardly facing. Persistent             or self-cleaning: Petals self cleaning Fragrance: None.         -   Tube.—Tube length: Approximately 2.5 cm Tube width a widest             point: Approximately 2.5 cm Tube width and narrowest point:             Approximately 1.2 cm.         -   Petals.—Unfused petal segments: Length: Approximately             3.5 cm. Width: Approximately 3.7 cm Apex: Retuse Shape of             petal: Unfused portion, obovate. Petal margin: Entire.             Ruffled aspect along margin. Petal Arrangement:             Approximately ⅓ fused from base. Petal Number: 5 Petal             Texture: Smooth.         -   Color.—Upper surface at first opening: Near RHS White 155A,             with faint, irregular small, linear blotches near Red-Purple             64B. Under surface at first opening: Near RHS White 155A,             with irregular small, linear blotches near Red-Purple 72B.             Inner surface at maturity: Near RHS White N155A, with             irregular small, linear blotches near Red-Purple 64B. Outer             surface at maturity: Near RHS White N155A, with irregular             small, linear blotches near Red-Purple 72B. Upper surface at             fading: Near RHS White N155A, with irregular small, linear             blotches near Red-Purple 72B. Under surface at fading: Near             RHS White N155A, with irregular small, linear blotches near             Red-Purple 72B.         -   Bud.—Shape: Elliptic Length: 3.5 cm Diameter: 1.5 cm Color:             Near RHS White 155A.         -   Calyx/sepals.—Quantity per flower: 5 sepals Shape: Narrow             deltate Length: 0.9 cm Width: 0.4 cm Apex: Acute Base: Fused             Margin: Entire Texture: Highly pubescent Color: Inner             Surface: Near RHS Yellow-Green 145B Outer Surface: Near RHS             Yellow-Green 145A. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Stamens.—Number: 10 Length: 4.0 cm Width: 0.1 cm Color: Near             RHS White N155D Anthers: Length: Approximately 0.3 cm Color:             Near RHS Greyed-Orange 163A Pollen: Not observed to date.         -   Pistil.—Number: 1 Length: 5.6 cm. Style: Length: 5.3 cm.             Color: Near RHS White N155D Stigma: Globular, colored near             Yellow 2B Ovary: Sericeous texture. Approximately 0.3 cm in             diameter. Colored near Yellow-Green 144B. Hairs colored near             White N155D. -   Other characteristics:     -   -   Disease and pest resistance.—Not observed to be susceptible             nor resistant to normal diseases and pests of Azalea hybrid.         -   Temperature tolerance.—USDA Zone 6.         -   Fruit/seed production.—Not observed to date. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Azalea plant named ‘ROBLEX’ as herein illustrated and described. 